Aspergillus terreus camptothecin-sodium alginate/titanium dioxide nanoparticles as a novel nanocomposite with enhanced compatibility and anticancer efficiency in vivo

BACKGROUND: Camptothecin derivatives are one of the most prescribed anticancer drugs for cancer patients, however, the availability, efficiency, and water solubility are the major challenges that halt the applicability of this drug. METHODS: Biosynthetic potency of camptothecin by Aspergillus terreus, open a new avenue for commercial camptothecin production, due to their short-life span, feasibility of controlled growth conditions, and affordability for higher growth, that fulfill the availability of the scaffold of this drug. RESULTS: Camptothecin (CPT) was purified from the filtrates of A. terreus, and their purity was checked by HPLC, and its chemical structure was verified by LC/MS, regarding to the authentic one. To improve the anticancer efficiency of A. terreus CPT, the drug was conjugated with sodium alginate (SA)/Titanium dioxide nanoparticles (TiO(2)NPs) composites, and their physicochemical properties were assessed. From the FT-IR profile, a numerous hydrogen bond interactions between TiO(2) and SA chains in the SA/TiO(2) nanocomposites, in addition to the spectral changes in the characteristic bands of both SA/TiO(2) and CPT that confirmed their interactions. Transmission electron microscopy analysis reveals the spherical morphology of the developed SA/TiO(2)NPs nanocomposite, with the average particle size ~ 13.3 ± 0.35 nm. From the results of zeta potential, successful loading and binding of CPT with SA/TiO(2) nanocomposites were observed. CONCLUSION: The in vivo study authenticates the significant improvement of the antitumor activity of CPT upon loading in SA/TiO(2) nanocomposites, with affordable stability of the green synthesized TiO(2)NPs with Aloe vera leaves extract.